Amazing Facts About What Bank Notes Are Made Of

The bizarre truth about what bank notes are made of comes in quite handy especially if you are worried about your toddler eating money. Truth be told, bank notes are not made of paper. I repeat NOT MADE OF PAPER. Bank notes are made of different materials such as cotton blended with linen, abaca or other textile fibers.

Most bank notes are made of cotton paper which weights about 80- 90 grams per square meter. The cotton paper is very different from the usual paper we use for other purposes. It is very durable and water resistant as well. Bank notes are made to be durable for an average time of two years only.

Bank notes are made of materials, which are treated with gelatin or polyvinyl alcohol to make sure it is durable.

The History of What Bank Notes Are Made of

The Tang dynasty was the first to make currency notes. During the 13th Century, this became evident to the rest of the world as the more effective way to handle precious metals. Promissory notes were used just before notes became common. Ideally currency notes were made to be able to make promissory notes easier to handle because of its lightweight and ease of carrying.

Did You Know:

Some of earliest currency notes in China were printed on paper, which was made from the mulberry tree’s bark.

These notes are almost impossible to replicate and is considered to be the most secure notes issued to this day. Here are some interesting facts about what bank notes are made of:

– Crane and Company had bank notes made of silk threads in the year 1879 for security purposes

– During a time of financial crisis in Germany, pure silk notes were issued for security reasons

– Cloth bank notes were made during some of the Chinese dynasties

– Emergency money was also found to be printed on khaki material

– Leather was used in currency notes at some point

– When Russia was administering over Alaska, notes were made of silk skin

While these facts about what bank notes are made of is quite amusing to read and might kindle some to think of being able to print their own notes at home, it is not without caution. The reason why different materials were used to make bank notes was to be able to maintain the security of these notes in the first place.

In today’s world, there are a number of security inclusions apart from just the material used . These facts about what bank notes are made of is enough to seal off any attempts.